Righteous Meaning

What is meant by Zacharias and Elizabeth being “righteous before God” (Luke 1:6)?
δικαιοι (dikaioi), the original Greek word translated “righteous,” means “observing the divine law” or “keeping the commandments of God” in the narrow sense, and “faultless” or “sinless” in the wider sense. No human being is righteous on their own in the latter, wider sense: What then? Are we better? Not at all, for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin. As it has been written, “there is none righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:9-10). In fact, Zacharias messes up and is even punished for it, as recorded a few verses later in Luke 1:18-20. Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous in the narrow sense that they observed and kept the “commandments and ordinances of the Lord,” not before men as the hypocritical Pharisees did to be seen by them, but “before God” (Luke 1:6) from their sincere desire to obey and please Him.

How can human beings be righteous - “faultless” or “sinless” - in the wider sense?
Believe that Jesus so loved us that after living a sinless life, He died on the cross to pay in full the death penalty due for our sins (see John 18).

What is the difference between the Lord's “commandments” and ”ordinances” (Luke 1:6)?
The two terms can be used interchangeably, but in this context, εντολαις (entolais), the original Greek word translated “commandments,” likely refers to the moral laws prescribed in the Pentateuch, which is the first five books of the Old Testament, while δικαιωμασιν (dikaiomasin), translated “ordinances,” refers to the Old Testament's ceremonial rites and rules.

Why is the righteousness of Zacharias and Elizabeth all the more commendable?
Due to the absence of a government-run social security system, the yearning to have children was arguably even stronger back then than today, as the lack of children meant the lack of economic support and caregiver for old people. Zacharias and Elizabeth could have become embittered at their lack of children, become angry at God, and stopped obeying His commandments and ordinances.

Why did they continue to obey them?
As is evident from Elizabeth's words recorded later in this chapter, they believed in the promise of the “Lord” (Luke 1:43) to come and save them.

Why do we have even more reasons to obey God?
All they knew was that the Messiah would come to save them. We know His name and that He saved us by giving up His own life.

Do you obey God to receive something more from Him, or to thank, honor and draw closer to Him for what He already gave you?